What We’re Reading

New York Times reporters and editors are highlighting great stories from around the web. You can receive What We’re Reading by email, and let us know how you like it at wwr@nytimes.com.

Otherworldly

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From London Review of Books: China may be a difficult place for writers to express their ideas, but that doesn’t mean they are not doing so. A range of science fiction has been released in the past two years, and it is not just interesting and well-written, but daring and political. In this piece, we get a glimpse into the history of China’s science-fiction tradition, and some of the latest books in the genre. — Prashant Rao, deputy Europe business editor

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Risk Assessment

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From The Texas Tribune: Maternal mortality in Texas has been rising at a rate “difficult to explain in the absence of war, natural disaster, or severe economic upheaval.” This investigation into the reasons is an upsetting but urgent read. — Amanda Taub, The Interpreter columnist

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20/20 Foresight

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From The Undefeated: The Colin Kaepernick protests thrust the N.F.L. into the middle of a national conversation on race. But a confidential memo in 1966 showed that N.F.L. officials were already concerned about racial tensions as black players became an increasing presence in a league they now dominate. Paul Lukas writes that the recently unearthed memo, by Claude “Buddy” Young, then the league’s director of player relations, warned Commissioner Pete Rozelle that a failure to tamp racial tensions “could spark a demonstration, large or small, or picketing” that could damage the N.F.L.’s standing. — Gerry Mullany, international news editor

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Not Funny

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From Splitsider: I’m often sad about the internet these days. It feels less fun, less interesting, less weird than a decade ago. And like a lot of people, I feel a little queasy and curious about Facebook’s exact role in that shift. In this interview with Sarah Aswell, the comedian Matt Klinman zeros in on the effect the social media behemoth has had on our world, and the stories you get to read about it. — Erin McCann, senior staff editor

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Jonesing

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CreditDrew Gurian/Invision, via Associated Press

From The Columbia Journalism Review: Sometimes you can almost feel it in the air, that it’s the right moment to reconsider a legend. GQ got there first, with Chris Heath’s entertaining profile of the great musician/arranger/producer Quincy Jones. Last week, New York magazine’s Vulture came out with an enlightening Q. & A. with Mr. Jones by David Marchese. (It nearly broke Twitter, because the subject was so loose and free-swinging and didn’t hold back on topics including the Beatles’ musicianship and Marlon Brando’s sex life.) It was such a fine performance that C.J.R. published this interview with Mr. Marchese on how he pulled it off. — Jim Windolf, media editor

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Fast Fashion

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CreditMichael Appleton for The New York Times

From Bloomberg News: People are buying more clothes and getting rid of them sooner. A tide of secondhand clothes is rising, but with almost nowhere to go. Giant disruptions are underway in a market that I didn’t realize existed, and it’s deftly explained by Adam Minter, author of “Junkyard Planet: Travels in the Billion-Dollar Trash Trade.” — Jim Dwyer, About New York columnist

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Unconnected

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CreditKarsten Moran for The New York Times

From Gizmodo: I have a dumb home. No Alexa, no sensor under my mattress and I use a French press to make coffee. Kashmir Hill’s tale of installing as many “smart” internet-linked appliances and furniture as she could in her household made me feel good about keeping things dumb. You might feel the same after reading it. — Michael Roston, senior staff editor, Science

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What Is a Must-Read?

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From The A.V. Club: I randomly stumbled on this and couldn’t stop. The current head writer of “Jeopardy!” talks about what the job is really like, how technology has changed the show, and the one clue he loves but has never gotten on the show. — Tim Herrera, Smarter Living editor